pekin ducks

[fries171]

I have three duck that are about two months old they r free range at this point with two kiddy pools as ponds, i am building a pond for them very soon and am looking for sizes needed and some ideas. i would also like to know if they need some type of shelter for laying or just plain cover from the weather. i dont know if they are male or female either.so if you can help me i would appreciate it thanks.

 

[Amiga]

The main thing ducks need shelter for is to keep them alive. I cannot stress this enough. Many, many ducks are lost to brutal predators. Please keep them safe. If they are not already inside at night, please please get them in!

The Duck Forum has all kinds of helpful people and many topics that go over what ducks need to keep them safe and healthy. Enjoy yourself as you read through some of them!

So, about the sexes of your ducks. By now they are either quacking or mumbling, I suspect. Try this site to see what I mean

http://www.majesticwaterfowl.org/artquacks.htm

What climate do you live in? What is the weather like in winter and midsummer?

 

[Mikanik]

You can build shelters sooo much easy and sooo less expensive than any pond. We build our entire duck yard for the cost of two boxes of screws and a box of nails. We used old pallets, an old free fence that we repurposed and big ol' pieces of a tree our neighbor cut down. I'll have to pose pictures. We bought an old farm animal watering trough ...100 gallons, I think....that we just dug into the ground. That was our most expensive purchase for our entire yard.

 

[fries171]

i live in central florida. my yard is fenced in and have had no problems with them out even with our chickens out we had no problems. i will start getting them a place of thier own space. thank you for your response and the help of your post we belive to hav 1 male and 2 females . thanks again.

 

[fries171]

and how much of a pond do they need?

 

[Amiga]

I would not say they need a pond. They need something they can bathe in, like a kiddie pool or concrete mixing pan, or livestock watering trough, as long as it has an easy-in, easy-out (especially) because ducks can get stuck in straight-sided water containers, and that can cause serious trouble.

If you want something very attractive on the landscape, look into sinking a hard plastic (or perhaps fiberglass) pond liner into the soil, with a built-in drainage that will be able to handle the detritus that will be in the water. You could also look into a pump system, but it needs to be able to handle chunks and mud.

Flat smooth stones have been used as ramps out of a pondlet (mini pond), some have used plastic ramps.

The used water is excellent fertilizer.

 

[pomet]

Hi ... I too live in Central Florida, with a fenced yard, and have adopted Pekin Ducks. At first, I was given a male and a female, both 3 years old. They came from a fenced yard and I let them "free range" in mine. For about 6 months they seemed to be fine, although I got right to work creating a home I thought suitable for them. One Saturday the female was absent and I thought she was setting on her eggs, as she did if I let a few collect in her hiding place. I don't wish to shock or alarm you, but she was not where I thought ... to this day I have no idea what animal brutally murdered her ... I cried for days ... I didn't protect her ... I sat up with the male, Quackers, for three nights, scared to death that the beast would come back for him. For the next week, every available hour I built him a secure enclosure. If this animal came back it was NOT going to get my Quackers ... he missed his mate terribly. Then, when buying more fencing for the pen, I heard lots of little "peeps" ... There was a giant horse trough (sp?) in the next aisle with 30 or 40 Pekin ducklings. I bought 2 and raised them in the bathtub for 6 weeks ... SO cute when they swim in the tub. They got so big, so fast, that at 2 months I brought them outside to meet Quackers. He was a bit aggressive toward them ... I was afraid he might hurt them and wasn't even sure what sex they were yet. So now they live in the pen I originally build for the male and I am building a pen for him to stay in at night. Once the babies muture and begin to lay eggs I will let them out to free range with him during the day, and pen them all at night. I have read, on-line, several stories of females being killed ... moreseo than males it seems. The females run for their lives and the males lower their heads and charge like a bull. I might be totally wrong, but I tihnk the females need a really safe haven. My male lays right outside their pen every night ... comforting and protecting his girls. I HAVE to finish his enclosure. Sorry to go on so long, but I would hate to see you lose a pet and friend in such a senseless way as I lost mine.
PS ... I too am now researching the POND idea. To do it right, it'll be expensive, but SOOOO worth it!

 

[PetesMom]

Kiddie pools are good enough for ducks...they don't NEED a pond plus the pools are soooo much easier to clean!